KULPMONT - Councilmember Joseph Winhofer cannot understand why the borough is still dealing with Berkheimer Associates for tax collection duties.
His frustration was evident at Tuesday's night meeting when the board members saw a bill for $267.90 from the tax collection agency for more than $14,000 in taxes collected in August.
"I guess we took down the Stars and Stripes and put up the Hammer and Sickle," Winhofer said. "I don't see why we have to pay this bill when we have no say in this matter, or didn't hire them."
Treasurer Paul Niglio informed Winhofer that Berkheimer was hired by court order in December after a majority of members of the Northumberland County Tax Collection Committee hired Capital Tax Collection Bureau to be the county's tax collectors. However, the hiring was done on a non-weighted vote. The six members with weighted votes, Shamokin Area, Line Mountain and Milton Area school districts, Shamokin, Milton and Coal Township - which account for 39 percent of the vote, sued in Northumberland County Court to change the vote.
A county judge sided with the six plaintiffs in October, requiring the committee use weighted voting. The court ruled again in December to hire the plaintiffs' original choice for tax collector, Berkheimer Associates, after a quorum was not reached for a meeting at which the committee was to vote on the matter.
"It is part of the contract that we signed," said Niglio, Kulpmont's representative on the committee.
"What contract?" Winhofer asked.
"The contract the county signed after the court order," Nigilo replied.
"Then let the county pay the bill," Winhofer retorted.
After the motion was approved to pay the bill, Winhofer asked for a motion to send a letter to state Rep. Kurt Masser and state Sen. John Gordner, expressing their displeasure with the course of events.
"I think it is absolutely ridiculous that we have to deal with a unfair breakdown of the vote and have no say in who is being hired," Winhofer said.
In other business
- The board approved motions to send Chief Richard Wilson to a JNET Training session at the Nittany Inn, to pay for two nights lodging for Wilson and to purchase a service contract for the police department's Informant computer program, which includes technical support and upgrades, for $980.
- The borough will sponsor a hole at the East End Fire Company's Golf Tournament in October for $100.
- Councilmember Stephen Motyka thanked everyone who volunteered to assemble the new playground at the Terry-Miriello Stadium. He said they are waiting for the fence before installing sidewalks and spreading mulch. Once that is completed, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) will be contacted to attend the official ribbon cutting.
- The annual inspection for the borough's traffic light was approved to be conducted, at a cost of $1,000.